Apparatus for and method of searching and organizing intellectual property information utilizing an IP thesaurus

A method of utilizing an intellectual property thesaurus, the method comprising:

• (a) designating a field of search based on selection of at least one of a plurality of classifications of an intellectual property classification system;
• (b) generating a list of words found in intellectual property information classified in the field of search designated in said designating step (a);
• (c) entering search criteria utilizing keywords;
• (d) determining searchable elements related to keywords in the search criteria based on the list of words generated in said generating step (b);
• wherein said entering step (c) comprises entering keywords that formulate a search query;
• and wherein said determining step (d) comprises:
• determining searchable elements related to select keywords in the search query by locating words on the list generated in said generating step (b) that are synonyms of select keywords in the search query:
• storing the synonyms thus determined in an accrued synonym list corresponding to the select keywords in the search query;
• and
• wherein said determining step (d) is automatically performed to determine synonyms for keywords in the search query.

In a search system for use in searching for intellectual property information, the improvement comprising an article of manufacture having stored thereon an executable program operative to effectuate searching for intellectual property information in connection with the search system, wherein the executable program is executed to, perform the steps of:

• (a) designating a source grouping of intellectual property information;
• (b) generating a list of words found in intellectual property information within the source grouping designated in said designating step (a);
• (c) formulating search criteria utilizing input keywords;
• (d) determining searchable elements related to the input keywords in the search criteria based on the list of words generated in said generating step (b);
• wherein said determining step (d) comprises:
• determining searchable elements related to select keywords in the search criteria by locating words on the list generated in said generating step (b) that are synonyms of select keywords in the search criteria;
• and
• wherein said formulating step (c) automatically adds to the search criteria the synonyms determined in said determining step (d) search criteria utilizing input keywords.